Readily adjustable flexible holder



Dec. l, 1959 R. w. MQBRIEN 2,914,831

READILY ADJUSTABLE FLEXIBLE HOLDER Filed Feb. 23. 1956 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent C) 1 2,914,831 READILY ADJUSTABLE FLEXIBLE HOLDERRoger William McBrien, East Alton, Ill. Application February 23, 1955,Serial No. 489,926 Claims. (Cl. 24-243) The invention relates to holdersof the type comprising a rigid main member and a llexible band forming aloop projecting from the main member and adjustable for securelysurrounding the article to be held. The invention is of the general typeshown in Patent No. 2,693,015 and is particularly adapted for holdingtubes or asks in chemical laboratories.

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forms a substantial bearing for the nut. Flexible band 2 is doubled oneor more times and passed freely through the space between the cross barsof U stirrups and 14 (see Figure 2) and when the length of the bandprojecting from the tube handle has been determined roughly,

.. nut 13 is advanced to the left along bar 12 to clamp One object ofthe invention is to more readily adjust the length ofthe exible bandprojecting from the rigid member to accommodate different sizes of asksor other articles to be held.

` `Another object is to arrange a holder of this type so that thearticle being held may be readily released from the holder.

,Another object is to accommodate a greater supply of flexible bandwithin a main member but without increasing the diameter of the member.

Another object is to simplify the jaw structure with a holder.

`In the accompanying drawings illustrating selected embodiments of theinvention:

Figure 1 shows a stand with the holder mounted on it and, supporting aask above the bottom of the stand. .'fFigure 2 is an elongatedhorizontal section through the' holder shown in Figure 1 and is drawn toan enlarged scale;

y Figure '31 is a detail View of `parts shown in Figure 2 but 'moved toa different relative position and is drawn to a still larger scale.

VFigure`4 is a vertical section through the jaw and rigid handle portionof the holder illustrating another form ofV the invention. v

":Figure `5 is a topview of the rigid handle portion of the holder shownin Figure 4.

ure' 4. f

-Figure 7 is a view of the device shown in Figure 6 lookingat 'an angleof 90.

The holder comprises a rigid tubular handle 1 and a flexible band 2 ofstainless steel projecting from the holder andclamping means associatedwith the handle for` gripping the band at a selected point in its lengthto hold the band tightly around an object, such as the neck of the askF. The tube 1 may be held in the hand and inserted in the block Bslidable vertically on the upright U of a stand S.` The left hand end ofhandle lissecuredto an upright plate 3 carrying at each of its upper andlower Vends a pair of fingers 4 forming a seat forfthe flask neck. Alatch 9 is secured to one end of band 2 by inserting the end of the bandthrough slots in the latch and punching a hole in the end of the bandfora screw 5 threaded into the latch. The latch terminates in a hook 6which Amay be inserted through an opening-7 inplate 3 at one side of thelatter and between the corresponding upper and lower fingers 4. Theoppositeend 8 of the latch forms a guide for the adjacent portion of theband anda convenient element for engagement by the finger or thumb ofthe user.

.The'other end of band 2 is passed between opposing faces of a clampstructure which includes a U-shaped stirrup .-10 secured by a rivet orscrew 11 to a bar 12 having `threads at opposite sides mounting a nut13. A second U-shaped stirrup 14 has its cross bar received betweenthelegs of stirrup 10 and has its legs slidable along opposite sides Aofbar 12. A follower 15 is posi- .tiopedbetvgeen r1ut.13 .and theendfof-stirrup'14and the band between the cross bars of the twostirrups.

Bar 12 and associated band clamping parts and a considerable portion ofthe doubled band are then inserted in tube 1, the bar being passedthrough a square hole 'in a collar 16 rigid with the tube and therebyheld against rotation in the tube. The user threads an elongated nut 18onto the end of bar 12. Preferably a short coil spring 17 surrounds bar12 at the right of collar 16 and is contacted by the forward movement ofnut 18 which drawsA the band further into the tube until the objectsurrounded4 bythe band is gripped as tightly as is necessary to hold itagainst slipping, as may be determined by the cornpression of spring 17.Preferably suicient tension will be placed on the band before the springis solid. A11l y inturned lip 1a at the right hand end of the tube isreceived in a peripheral groove in the nut and retains the nut againstremoval.

With this arrangement, the ilask may be readily removed from the holderby merely loosening the tension of -nut 18 and tilting latch 9 until itshook 6 will slide through opening 7. When the ask or another object isto be again held by the looped band, the latter is placed around thearticle and hooks 6 inserted through openings 7 and the opposite end ofthe band drawn into the tube by bar 12 and nut 18.

- '.Figure 6 -is a detail'of the band clamp shown in Fig- 4equal inlength to tube 21.

If a substantially larger or smaller object is to be secured to theholder, nut 18 is removed from the end of.

the bar and the bar drawn out of the opposite end of the tube. Clampingnut 13 is unscrewed a few turns to relieve thel pressure on the bandexerted by stirrups 10 and 14 and the band is shifted through the space`clamp and associated length of band is again inserted into tube 1 untilnut 18 can be threaded onto the end of bar 12.

Figures 47 show another arrangement in which tube 21 is much shorterthan tube 1 and bar 212 is substantially Nut 28 applied to bar 22 is ofcup section and receives coil spring 27, which is seated against theouter end of tube 21. Nut 28 has internal threads fitting over externalthreads on the tubular handle 21.

A simpler form of clamp for the band is embodied in this structure andis detailed in Figures 6 and 7 in that a single U-shaped member `orstirrup 24 is pivoted at 25 on bar 22 and the cross bar of stirrup 24forms a yielding element permitting the swinging of the stirrup betweenthe two positions shown in Figure 7. When the stirrup and bar are inalignment, there will be suflicient friction to securely hold band 20.One or both legs of stirrup 24 may be dimpled at 26 to be received incorresponding depressions 27 in the bar to more readily hold stirrup andbar aligned.

In this form of the invention, the tubular handle may be split at oneend and the split ends spaced apart as shown in Figure 5 to form theobject seat on the handle andv also form concavo-convex guides for thebaud.

With this arrangement, both end portions of the loop formed by the bandare drawn into the tube simultaneously when nut 28 is rotated, thusmaking a more rapid sary toV release a greater portioniof the doubledband 3 length to provide sufficient slack to remove the article beingheld.

With both forms of the holder, the object being held may expand orcontract without loosening the grip of the holder and aninexperiencedoperator may hold even a fragile article` more readily thanif the grip i's dependent uponan exact adjustment of the clamping screw.This feature is particularly advantageous if the article being held isin a vibration area wheretinsuicient tightening would cause the objectto slip downwardly or where excess tightening would cause the article tobreak. With the arrangement first described, the tightening nut cannotbe misplaced because it will be retained in assembly with theA tube bylip 1a. The clamping of the band at'any'pointinits length` and thehousing of-'a substantial length ofsurplus bandV in the tube makes itpossible to obtain accurate adjustment of the band for different sizeslof objects; The shape of latch 9' with its hook 'facilitates the readyrelease of the object from the band without the necessity ofv extensiveunscrewing of the tightening nut- 18.

Variationsin the details of the structure may be made while retainingall of the advantages mentioned'and without departing from the spirit ofthe invention and the exclusive use ofthose modifications coming withinthe scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1'. An-adjustable holder ofthe kind described comprising an elongatedopen end sleeve, aV bar` slidable in said sleeve and normally retainedtherein with one end spaced inwardly from the ends of the sleeve, ailexible band having a quick-release hook and eye connection atone endto1one end of said sleeve end and forming a loop outwardly of saidsleeve end and having a substantial length extending from the loop andsecured to said bar andV doubled back and forth within said sleevebetween the end of the bar and said sleeve end, said sleeve having aninterior shoulder facing away from said sleeve end, and a nut partlywithin the sleeve and rotatably seated on saidy shoulder and threadedonto said bar and projecting from the opposite end of said sleeve formanual' rotation, said sleeve and nut having cooperatingcircumferentialV groove and ridge elements retaining the nut assembledwith the sleeve.-

2. In a holder-of the kind described, an open end sleeve, a bar slidableaxially therein, a U-shaped stirrup With legs embracing one end of saidbar and pivoted thereto and having squared ends, the end piece of thestirrup being movable about its pivot from one side of` the bar to theother and into alignment with the bar axis, said end piece being spacedoutwardly fro-m the end of Vthe bar when aligned with said axis, aflexible bandA forming a loop exteriorly ofthe sleeve and extendinginto` the sleeve and through said stirrup'between the end of said barand the end piece of the stirrup, a follower slidable along the bartoward and from the squared ends of the stirrup, a nut threaded on thebar,`

to force the follower against the stirrup ends, and a nutk threaded ontothe bar and seated against the sleeve for moving the bar, stirrup,follower and follower nut as a unit lengthwise through the sleeve.

3. An adjustable holder of the kind described comprising an elongatedtubular open ended handle, an elongated bar slidable axially in saidhandle but held against rotation therein and threaded substantiallythroughout its length, a flexible band including a loopprojecting fromone end of said handle and having one end secured to said handle, amanually releasable device mounted on the end of the bar and movabletherewith into the-handle and frictionally securing the other end ofsaid loop directly to the end of said bar nearer said loop, said bandextending from said device toward said handleend and being doubled backand forth within the tubular handle for storage between the end, oftheban and said. landleaend, saidhandleV havinga. shoulder facing, awayfrom said loop, and a nut threaded onto said bar and seated against saidshoulder and projecting from the other end of said handle for manualrotation to draw said bar and doubled band inwardly of thehandle.

4. In. a, holder of the. kind described, an open end sleeve, a barslidablel axially thereiniand through one open end thereof, meansholding the bar against rotation followingY its insertion into thesleeve, a U-shaped stirrup having a= cross piece and having legsembracing one end of saidbar, there being a pin extending transverselythrough the bar and the ends of the stirrup legs` remote from said crosspiece to pivot the stirrup on the bar for swinging movement from aposition in which said cross piece is aligned with the bar end, butspaced slightly therefrom to a position at one side `of the bar, saidstirrup being slidable with said bar in said sleeveA when its crosspiece is in the first-mentioned position, a ilexible band forming a loopexteriorly of one end of the. sleeve with end portions passing betweenthe stirrup end piece and the bar end, the stirrup cross piece yieldingylengthwise of the stirrup to frictionally grip the band against the barend when the. stirrup cross piece and bar end are directly opposed, theband being readily withdrawn from between the stirrup cross piece and`the bar end when the stirrup is moved to the second-mentioned position,and a nut threaded onto the other end of the bar and seated against ashoulder near the other end of the s-leeve and rotatable on its seat formoving the` bar,` stirrup and band as a unit lengthwise of and inwardlyof the sleeve.

5. In a holder ofthe class described, an elongated open end'sleeve, abar slidable lengthwise in and through an open end of the latter, aU-shaped stirrup embracing one end of said bar and comprising parallellegs and a cross piece, there being a pin extending transverselythrough'the bar and the end portions of the stirrup legs to pivot thelatter on the bar for swinging the cross piece of the stirrup from anormal position in alignment withk the bar to the side of the bar, whenthe bar is withdrawn from the sleeve, the cross piece of the stirrupbeing slightly spaced from the end of the bar when the stirrup and barare aligned, a flexible band forming a loop exteriorly of the sleevewith extendedv portions spaced from the` loop and passing between thestirrup cross piece and the bar end, the stirrup cross piecefrictionally engaging and gripping the band against the har end when thestirrup and the bar are aligned but clearing the band from means formoving the bar, stirrup and band as a unit lengthwise in the sleeve toshorten the length of the1 loop exteriorly of the sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES'PATENTS916,706v Hoequard et al Mar. 30, 1909" 979,118 Wolf et a1 Dec. 20, 19101,357,295 McNaughton Nov. 2, 1920 1,408,900 Miller et a1 Mar. 7, 19221,479,988 Gage Ian. 8, 1924 1,512,014 Bryar Oct. 2l, 1924 1,540,084Parker `lune 2, 1925 1,642,045 Ryder Sept. 13, 1927 1,816,197 RuemelinJuly 28, 1931 1,952,863 Hueber Mar. 27, 1934 1,978,646v Oishei et al.Oct. 30, 1934 2,247,642 Neville uly 1, 1941 2,443,271 Russell' June l5,1948y 2,621,383 Tressider et al. Dec. 16, 1952 2,693,015 Richards et alNov. 2, 1954- 2,695,437 Bernard Nov. 30, 1954 2,747,820k Blu May 29,1956 FOREIGN` PATENTS 324,524, Germany Ang; 31, 1920?

